3/1/13 3/1/13

Weekend Inspiration - Shower - Monteverdi, Tuscany

What a week.Just when you think Italian politics couldn't be more confusing or bizarre, they are. I have no idea what is going to happen now. Maybe we'll have new elections.The Pope said good-bye yesterday. The city is packed with tourists who came to see him for the last time. Cardinals are flying in for the conclave and there are journalists in town from all over the world.Work-wise, things were hectic. I'm not sure how it's Friday already.Yesterday, Domenico and I drove up to Tuscany to visit the job site and to meet with our client who flew in from Germany. Normally, we would stay overnight but we decided to make it a day trip and left Rome at 6:30 a.m.It was a very long day. At one point my brain said, "BASTA!" and refused to cooperate. It was around the time I was asking the contractor questions in Italian and then translating his answers into English.On the drive back home, all I could think about was taking a long shower, getting in my PJs, and then watching Law and Order SVU reruns on Fox Crime (I have a thing for Detective Stabler).I wish I had a shower like this:Unfortunately, I do not.The shower in the photo was designed by Ilaria Miani for Monteverdi. Monteverdi is a group of rental villas and a hotel in the small village of Castiglioncello del Trinoro in Tuscany.Stunning. I hope to check it out sometime later this year.In the meantime, Stabler and I will be relaxing this weekend.Buon Weekend!

2/12/13 2/12/13

THE DOOR by Ava DuVernay - Film, Dècor, and Fashion.

In 2011 the Italian fashion label Miu Miu started Women's Tales, a series of short films about women directed by female directors from all over the world.Their most recent short was directed by Ava DuVernay. Ava won the best director award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.Here is more information about Ava's short from Miu Miu:The Door, by Ava DuVernay, the fifth Miu Miu Women's Tale, is a celebration of the transformative power of feminine bonds, and a symbolic story of life change. The symbolic centre of The Door is the front entrance of the protagonist's home. As she opens it to greet a friend in the powerfully framed opening scenes, she is shrouded in an oblique sadness. "In the film, characters arrive at the door of a friend in need, bringing something of themselves," explains director DuVernay. "Eventually, we witness our heroine ready to walk through the door on her own. The door in the film represents a pathway to who we are." Clothing is also a symbol of renewal, each change of costume charting our heroine's emergence from a chrysalis of sadness. In the final scenes, she takes off her ring, pulls on long, black leather gloves, and walks, transformed by the emotive power of the clothing, through the door. Not a word was spoken, but Ava told a beautiful story. For some reason, I didn't recognize Gabrielle Union at first!The Door combines three things I'm passionate about, dècor, film, and fashion. Several of the pieces in the short need to be in my closet and hello, that house!I've seen many films with "a glass house in L.A." set design but this one really captured that L.A. loneliness vibe. I loved it.[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNM0ha87eU0&w=560&h=315]

2/7/13 2/7/13

Weekend Inspiration - Nathan Turner Gets Us In The Mood.

People ask me all the time what is the difference between a mood board, an inspiration board, or a presentation board.The terms are used interchangeably, but a presentation board is the one that you would show to a client.A mood/inspiration board might be used only in house as you brainstorm design ideas. The presentation board shows the client the actual materials/furniture you plan to buy for the space.I prefer to do these boards the old-fashioned way (I like to touch and feel everything) but with clients who live overseas or travel a lot, a digital board is the way to go.I finally bit the bullet and bought Photoshop. Of course I was on a killer deadline for a project and had to turn around my boards pretty quickly.Did I mention that I had never used Photoshop before? It was straight up drama trying to get these boards done. Fortunately, I have talented friends like Nicolee Drake who are also patient teachers.Mood boards are very popular with interior designers, fashion designers, and graphic artists.I love what interior designer Nathan Turner says about the Picasso inspiration in the short clip below. It's for Pottery Barn and Nathan breaks down the process in a way that's fun and accessible.If you're in L.A. check out his store on Melrose. It's filled with beautiful things.I hope you have an inspiring weekend.http://youtu.be/wgks_wekMIU

2/1/13 2/1/13

Weekend Inspiration - The Mix - Modern Meets The 16th Century.

In December, I attended the AWAR holiday cocktail party at Palazzo Farnese. The construction of the Palazzo started in 1515 and it has been the home of the French Embassy since 1874.I've been inside the building before to vote (I have dual citizenship, American and French) and went to an exhibit they held a few years ago. However, this time there was a tour from the Ambassador himself.I had a blast that night with my friend Gillian. AWAR raised money for charity, we saw amazing art and architecture, and we had a chance to drink Champagne.One of the highlights for me was walking into various rooms by myself to study the interiors. I'm still shocked they let us take pictures (a big no-no at the American Embassy. You have to turn in your cellphones and cameras at security)."The Mix" is important. It's also difficult to do well. A room with furnishings from a mix of eras gives off a different energy than a room where every single piece of furniture, all the vignettes, art, etc. etc. are from the exact same time period and/or store. When the mix is on point, it's so exciting.I was surprised when I stepped into this room and saw the modern iron table and chairs.I think a traditional table from that period with very ornate detailing and decked out with ivory would've been too much.Instead this table compliments the room. You really notice the drop dead gorgeous proportions, the floors, the walls, everything. Most conference rooms are zzzzzzzz. This one is a stunner.Buon weekend and cin cin to mixing it up.

1/28/13 1/28/13

Stylish Simplicity - Bee Still, My Beating Heart - La Rochere Tumbler

I've been a fan of these glasses for ages. I saw them in Kathryn Ireland's kitchen last year and thought to myself, "I need to buy some when I move to a bigger apartment."I had to find a new kettle. I decided to go ahead and spend money on a solid one, as the cheap one I bought fell apart way too soon. Off I went to C.U.C.I.N.A. I try my best to avoid this store as every single time I stop in to buy one specific item, I get sucked into picking up a few things.It happened again. I walked past the glasses section and somehow two glasses ended up in my basket.It's okay. It makes me happy when I open up my kitchen cabinet and see these two little glasses. Once I move, I'm getting a set.In the States you can find them at Sur La Table.As for the kettle, I bought a Le Creuset that was double the price of my old one. However, this one is built to last and very pretty.

1/25/13 1/25/13

Weekend Inspiration - A Little Bit Of France In Brooklyn

Design, fashion, and lifestyle bloggers have gone crazy over Miranda Brooks' Brooklyn home which was featured in the January issue of American Vogue.I completely understand why. Brooks, a landscape architect/contributing editor at Vogue and her French husband, architect Bastien Halard, have created a beautiful home. It's stylish but not stuffy.How much do I adore this bathroom?I would spend a lot of time in this space... all those books! The fresh flowers are a nice touch.What are your plans for the weekend? I will be staring at Farrow & Ball paints trying to figure out which shade of gray is perfect for a client's upstairs hallway.I'm also going to do some major cleaning and organizing. I might treat myself to some flowers at the overpriced flower stands in Campo dei Fiori. Cranking up some good music and having pretty flowers to look at will make my chores less boring.It won't be all work this weekend. I'm also meeting friends for aperitivi.Buon weekend a tutti! Click HERE to see more pictures of this amazing home.

1/22/13 1/22/13

Work In Progress - Country House - Tuscany, Italy

I was recently hired by the very talented architect Domenico Minchilli to work on the interiors for a home in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy.Words cannot adequately express how excited I am about this project.We have a mid/late Spring deadline.Early on, I started to pull images for an inspiration board on Pinterest. Some of the images came from books in my library, photos from my travels, or from my favorite websites. Originally, I had over sixty-five images. It was a great visual tool and helped me see the big picture. I kept that version of the board private so I could show Domenico what I was thinking.Once I had a clearer idea of what the client wanted/needed for their home, I put together a mood board in Photoshop for each room. There has to be a separate post about Photoshop... DRAMA.I had written a much longer post but deleted it. It was way too sappy.However, I will say I'm thrilled to be working with such an incredible group of people and that 2013 is off to a great start.

1/13/13 1/13/13

Reading, Writing, And Decorating.

Mamma mia, what a week. It's been non-stop since the Italian holiday season officially ended last Sunday with the Befana.There was a lot of running around picking out fabrics, butchering the Italian language when I met with the drapes/sofa maker, writing budgets, and following up on a million things that were put on hold before the holidays.My siblings and in-laws asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I have a bunch of design books on my wish list. The first batch of the books arrived last week (thanks fam!). I cannot wait to dig in.Now I just have to find the time to sit back with a ice-filled glass of Coke, some San Carlo Rustica chips and start reading.

1/2/13 1/2/13

What Is The Purpose Of A Blog Now?

I was at a Rome Bloggers meet up a few months ago and one of my fellow bloggers told me she missed my old blog.My former blog was more personal and a bit all over the place. One day I would write about politics , or my friend's big Italian wedding, and the next day about some silly pop-culture thing like the horrific "Kwanzaa Cake" made by Sandra Lee.The blogging world has changed a great deal since 2005. It's become a big business and very niche.When I first started this blog I felt a lot of pressure to keep it extremely focused. I understood the advice from my social media savvy friends. They would ask me questions like,"What's the point of your blog? What are your goals for the blog? What IS your blog, personal, design, lifestyle, expat?"Something clicked when I read my friend Felicia's recent post.I should worry less about labeling my blog or trying to shoe-horn it into a very narrow space.Design blogs are more than pretty pictures. The popular ones have a POV or narrative that's engaging. They have to be, thanks in part to the explosive success of Pinterest.Interior design is influenced by many things... art, fashion, music, film, travel, the list goes on. I like to write about those subjects as well and I will.It's a new year and time to loosen the strings a little.

11/27/12 11/27/12

Get Your Interior Design On - The Kathryn M. Ireland Bootcamp Experience

Last month I attended Kathryn M. Ireland's Interior Design Bootcamp in Los Angeles.That would be Kathryn the internationally known designer, NOT Kathy the former SI cover model. One Hollywood exec said to me, "I thought you were talking about the model the entire time. Alas, now our conversation has become less interesting to me." Too funny. Gotta love Hollywood.It would be hard to describe a packed four day schedule in one short blog post. Overall, it was fantastic experience. I was very impressed by Kathryn and her team, Jen, Rebecca, and Francesca. I learned a lot and enjoyed meeting my fellow bootcampers.There were only seven of us. Six were in different stages of our careers. One bootcamper had a new house. For her it was a good opportunity to see how a designer works. Some bootcampers had degrees in Interior Design and their own showrooms, while others were self taught and just starting out. It was a great mix.If you watch the show MILLION DOLLAR DECORATORS or have read anything about Kathryn you know that along with being a talented textiles and interior designer, she's a fantastic host. We met some heavy hitters in the business and it says something about Kathryn that everyone she introduced us to was warm, and down-to-earth.The workshop was organized (binders, books, baked goods!) We received excellent nuts and bolts information and advice about the business of design. There were guest speakers who talked about the state of the industry, branding, product development, publicity, and social media.We also visited several high profile showrooms with Kathryn, like Lucca, Nathan Turner, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Peter Dunham, Christopher Farr, Jasper, Pat McGann, etc.Martyn's was our last showroom stop. He had drinks and quips for us.There was down time too (and plenty of wine with meals). We went on a hike in Will Rogers State Park with sick views of the Pacific. It wasn't mandatory but a nice way to kick off a long day. That day we visited Kathryn's print shop. She opened it in Los Angeles instead of outsourcing the work. The time it takes to hand print fabric is no joke and that's why it's expensive.We worked on our mood/presentation boards for our projects with input from Kathryn and her team. I wanted to pull my hair out as I tried to draw my floor plans by hand. Luckily for me, one of my fellow bootcampers was a kitchen and bath designer. She talked me down off the ledge.I can't really say which highlight (there were many) of the workshop was my favorite. I can say I returned to Rome feeling excited about the future and inspired.For more information about future Bootcamps, check out Kathryn's WEBSITE.

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11/18/12 11/18/12

Io Adoro - Aerin Lauder's Jacques Grange Designed Office

Jacques Grange is one of my favorite designers.I adore the work he did on Aerin Lauder's new office. Lauder recently launched her own home décor and fashion company after years of working for the company her grandmother, Estée, founded.It's not easy to create an office that is functional and beautiful. This one is.All photos: Architectural DigestThis office has wonderful personal touches. I think creative spaces need them. One production company I used to work for had a layout/dècor that screamed, "this is where creativity comes to die."The entrance hall, pictured above, sets the tone the minute you walk into the office with its art, fresh flowers, and that gorgeous chandelier.To read the article and see more photos of this fantastic space, click HERE.

11/13/12 11/13/12

Bravo's "Million Dollar Decorators" - Season 2

Tonight (10/9c) is the premiere of Bravo's hit decorating show (in the United States).Unfortunately, I couldn't find any information about the international dates. Last season, it started to air in Italy a few months later on SKY's Real Time channel.It better air here this season. I'm still salty about the E! Channel being dropped. No more "Fashion Police", "THS" or those great specials about murderous cheerleaders.From what I've read and heard, there will be a greater focus on decorating/design this season.Of course this is a reality program and there must be drama as well. A TV series where everything goes well and everyone gets along all the time would be boring.I hope they show more of Kathryn M. Ireland's beautiful home.I asked Martin Lawrence Bullard if he had a new catchphrase for this season. He does!For more info about the show and to see clips, check out Bravo's page HERE.Those of us outside the United States cannot see the clips. Sigh.

11/6/12 11/6/12

Io Adoro - Sugar Paper - Los Angeles, California

Finally, my jet lag is over.My trip to Los Angeles was fantastic. Those who know me or read my former blog know how I feel about the City of Angeles. However, this trip was different.Kathryn M. Ireland's Design Bootcamp had a lot to do with my positive experience. I will post about that later.While I was in L.A. I met up with two friend friends/colleagues at Farmshop located in the Brentwood Country Mart.I was a little early so I stopped by what seemed to be a lovely stationary store. Once I was inside, I almost lost my mind. It was Sugar Paper! I've read about this store many times but never had a chance to visit it.Remembering my luggage restrictions (and my budget), I limited myself to just two items. It was very difficult. Founded in 2003 by graphic designers Chelsea Shukov and Jamie Grobecker, Sugar Paper makes beautiful letter-pressed stationary. I love their stylish designs.There's something really special about handwritten notes. It's so rare to receive one these these days. Everything is online.Check out Sugar Paper's portfolio HERE.

10/15/12 10/15/12

Stylish Simplicity - Hunter Wellington Boots

Rainy season will start soon in Rome.I know Hunter Wellies have become crazy popular recently. However, unlike some other trends, this one is a classic. Hunter's boots are not just fashionable, they are well made.This Scottish based company has been making boots since 1856. While I don't own a country estate in the UK, I do need boots that can stand up to the torrential downpours we get here.I'm not sure which color to get. I love their Stylish Simplicity.

10/8/12 10/8/12

Stylish Simplicity - Moko Bulb Vase - Jonathan Adler

Jonathan Adler is one of of my favorite designers. I wish I could be so bold with my color choices and I loved his store on Melrose Avenue.Adler started out as a potter. I adore this piece.It's stylish, simple, and yet bold. Adler's vase is perfect for a modern room or for a room with a more traditional décor.The vases are made by artisans in Peru. Adler found the workshop with help from Aid to Artisans. This non-profit organization introduces designers in America with artisans in developing countries to promote fair trade.For more information about this vase and about Jonathan Adler, check out his website. It's full of beautiful things.

10/1/12 10/1/12

Stylish Simplicity - Earrings - Me&Ro Jewelry

Years ago when I was i~~n the middle of hell~~ a Hollywood film development executive, I worked 24/7. I also made no money, but on my birthday I would buy either a bag, shoes, or jewelry.For a few years (until the production company I worked for shut down) I alternated between which item to get, went go to Barneys, and put down my Barneys credit card. I would pay it off immediately with birthday money I received from my family.I didn't go crazy. I would buy, say a pair of Prada shoes (back then the prices were at least $200 lower) instead of Louboutins. That said, I think Marc Jacobs bags were/are completely over priced. Can someone please explain their price points to me?One particularly heinous year, I doubled down and bought a bag AND earrings.That year I walked pass the jewelry section on the first floor and a pair of earrings, similar to below, caught my eye.I put them on and said, "I'll take them."For a while I only wore the earrings on special occasions. Then I thought that didn't make sense. Beautiful things should be worn.I wear them all the time now.These earrings are the only Me&Ro pieces I own. I love them and look forward to buying more pieces in the future.The designer and CEO, Robin Renzi, used to be a dancer and started her company in the back of her Elizabeth Street apartment in the early '90s. Me&Ro works with recycled materials and their designs are simple and stylish. The company has really grown since the mid 00s but the quality is as high as ever.Also, I like that they still make and produce all their jewelry in Tribeca, New York City. I'm sure they could increase their profit margins if they shipped those jobs overseas. That they've been in downtown NYC all this time says a lot about the company's values.

9/23/12 9/23/12

Work In Progress - Prati Apartment - Rome, Italy

Last week I was hired to decorate an apartment in Rome.This is my first project in Italy. I'm excited but also a little terrified. Now I must speak and work in Italian. While many vendors speak English, there are quite a few people I'm working with on this apartment, like the contractor, who do not.I need get over my fear of communicating in Italian and just do it.The décor is going to be understated Hollywood Regency based on our consultation and the pieces my client already owns. I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but it just means that some of the over the top elements of the style will be toned down. Sometimes, one can have too many mirrored surfaces!The bones of this large apartment are absolutely stunning, as is the terrace. The layout is more formal than the other projects I'm working on.I tend to use strong colors as accents, not on the walls, so some of the rooms will push me out of my comfort zone which is a good thing. After all, it's not my apartment, it's the client's. I want my client to have a home that they love and that reflects their personality.Due the nature of my client's work, I won't be able to publish photos of their apartment.However, I have started an inspiration board, which is HERE.

9/17/12 9/17/12

Stylish Simplicity - West Elm's Parsons Desk

I have seen so many photos of this desk in various shelter magazines. It's been used in very high-end rooms and in rooms decorated on a budget. Most pieces of furniture are not that versatile.It's the perfect size for a small apartment or an office. I also love the idea of using it in a foyer.The lines are modern but the West Elm's Parson desk works for variety of décors.It's simple and it's stylish. I'm a big fan.